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Fish spotting pilot of an small aircraft sel aircraft was observed by a law enforcement officer flying below the minimum safe altitude for a congested area.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 336588 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199605 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : 5s8 |
| State Reference | AK |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 700 agl bound upper : 1200 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : mia |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7600 |
| ASRS Report | 336588 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government other |
| Function | observation : observer |
| Qualification | other other : other |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other other : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | faa : investigated Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Operated aircraft at altitudes between 700-1200 ft for the purpose of spotting fish in a commercial fishing operation and to identify the 8 boats out of approximately 80 in the area that pilot was responsible to advise concerning fishing. Later informed by alaska state trooper that he considered the area to be 'congested area' and minimum altitude should be 1000 ft. In pilot's experience after 15 yrs spotting fish, fishing areas were considered sparsely populated or open water and altitude minimums 500 ft vertical and horizontal separation maintained. In alaska, fishing areas are usually in remote locations, and in open water. Usually there is no person, or structures within mi of the fishing areas except during the hours (or mins) of an open fishery. Often altitudes below 1000 ft need to be flown to identify boats or fish. In virtually no instance would a pilot not be able to land safely without damage to property or persons except the aircraft or pilot from above 500 ft.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FISH SPOTTING PLT OF AN SMA SEL ACFT WAS OBSERVED BY A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER FLYING BELOW THE MINIMUM SAFE ALT FOR A CONGESTED AREA.
Narrative: OPERATED ACFT AT ALTS BTWN 700-1200 FT FOR THE PURPOSE OF SPOTTING FISH IN A COMMERCIAL FISHING OP AND TO IDENT THE 8 BOATS OUT OF APPROX 80 IN THE AREA THAT PLT WAS RESPONSIBLE TO ADVISE CONCERNING FISHING. LATER INFORMED BY ALASKA STATE TROOPER THAT HE CONSIDERED THE AREA TO BE 'CONGESTED AREA' AND MINIMUM ALT SHOULD BE 1000 FT. IN PLT'S EXPERIENCE AFTER 15 YRS SPOTTING FISH, FISHING AREAS WERE CONSIDERED SPARSELY POPULATED OR OPEN WATER AND ALT MINIMUMS 500 FT VERT AND HORIZ SEPARATION MAINTAINED. IN ALASKA, FISHING AREAS ARE USUALLY IN REMOTE LOCATIONS, AND IN OPEN WATER. USUALLY THERE IS NO PERSON, OR STRUCTURES WITHIN MI OF THE FISHING AREAS EXCEPT DURING THE HRS (OR MINS) OF AN OPEN FISHERY. OFTEN ALTS BELOW 1000 FT NEED TO BE FLOWN TO IDENT BOATS OR FISH. IN VIRTUALLY NO INSTANCE WOULD A PLT NOT BE ABLE TO LAND SAFELY WITHOUT DAMAGE TO PROPERTY OR PERSONS EXCEPT THE ACFT OR PLT FROM ABOVE 500 FT.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.